Boiler-feeding means.



.W. L. R. EMMET.

BOILER FEEDING MEANS.

APPLICATION FILED N ov. 26, I9I3.

. 4259 l 541;: Q Putent Aug, Y, mi?

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"WELLIAM L, it. EIEIIVIET, F SCHENEGTD'Y, EW YORK, ASSIGNOR T GENERAL ELECTRIC CSMPNY, A ORPGRATION 0F NEW YORK.

readies.'

' Schenectady, county of Schenectady, State ot' New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seiler-Feeding Means, ot Which the following is a specication.

The present invention relatesto means for feeding liquid to boilers and more especially to those intended for generating vapor-irom liquids having high boiling points, such for example as mercury, @wing to the cost of such liquids and in the case of mercury to its great Weight for a given bulk,"it is important to so arrange the boiler v'that the total amount of liquid for a given vapor out put be reduced as much as possible. Reducing the amount of liquid, while it resultsin a saving in cost and Weight and hence is highly advantageous, introduces certain complicated problems in the Way of maintaining Y an active circulation, regulating the supply of fluid to the ditierent generating elements, when Operating in multiple, and in preventing one element of the. boiler which for some reason may be cooler than another 4from acting as a condenser for the vapor generated by a hotter element or'elements. The problem of maintaining l`an active circulation when mercury is` the substance used is' greatly increased due to the high tempera'- ture of the fire. For example, the gases may have a tempera ture o 24000 F. in the iurnace. Obviously a failure of the liquid feeding means under these circumstances would greatly endanger the tubes even if the interruption was only fora very brief interval of time.

My invention has for its object to provide a. boiler iceding means Which will satisfy the exacting requirements above' ,'specied, and for a consideration of what l believe to be novel and my invention, attention is directed to the accompanying description and claims appended thereto.

In the accompanying drawing which is illustrative or' my invention, Figure l a diagrammatic view of a boiler or generator comprising a pluralitv of vapor generating elements together with means for feeding liquid thereto, and Fig. 2 is a sectional View of the upper end of one of said elements.

As my invention is intended especially for use with boilers generating mercury vapor isoinnnfrunnine"rennais.

Specification of Letters atent. Patented A110', "j, i911?, appncaiion and november es, 1ers. serial nazcan?. l

enters what may be termed a. condenser- P boiler; e., a device in whichl the heat given up by the mercury vapor in' condensing is utilized to boil Water and generate high pressure steam, the latter being used in a steam turbine of suitable construction. The

condensed mercury from the condenserboiler is returned to the mercury vapor generator by meansy ol'- gravity, said generator being located below the other parts.

The boiler is composed of a number of vapor generating elements 5 arranged in multiple relation as regards the supply of liquid and also in multiple relation as regards the delivery of vapor to the main 6, the latter leading tol a turbine or turbines of any suitable constructionfor converting the energy of the vapor into useful Work. The boiler elements can be made in a variety oi Ways. As shown each comprises a header 7 from Wh ich depend a relatively large number of vapor generating tubes .8. These tubes may be closed independently at their lower ends or open into a header 9. When closed independently each tube will have an inner. open ended tube through which mercury loivs from thetop to the bottom. In the pipe connecting each element with the discharge main is an outwardly opening cheek valve 10 having a spring 11 or other means tending to close it. These valves permit vapor to pass from the elements to the main 6 but `prevent the passageof vapor from one element to another through the i main. The system described is intended to operatmat low pressure, say atmospheric or slightly above it for example. At atmospheric pressure mercury vaporizes at a temperature of about 677 F., 'and Vcondenses in a vacuum of 28 at about 457 F. Without these check valves it is evident that if the temperature of one of the vapor generating elements for any reason, fell substantially below the boiling point of the iiuid, it would act as a condenser for the vapor generated by the other element or elements.

Mercury is fed to the several generating elements by gravity from the pipe l2 Which receives it from the condenser 13 ot' the turbine or other prime mover. The pressure of the mercury in this pipe is superior to chest is inclined so that oiAv the vapor in the said elements.y Con-- nected to the pipe is a reservoir l which supplies any deliciency due to leali. lfroni the pipe 19. short pipes .l5 dn charge into the vapor chests or headers subject lo Below each pipe 123 'the controlv oi'f valves.

lll; Fig. 2, that entends across the a Well end of the chesty and at suitable points is provided with notches 17 through which the mercury lioufs into the niain portion et' the vapor chest. rlflie lower Wall of tli'e as to permit of an accuinulation of mercury at one end thereof. The tubes 8 are attached at their upper ends' to said wall and mercury is free to flow into them and the vapor to pass therefrom into the chest or header. At one end oit the chest a lient 18 that rests on the body' o." .mercury thereinl and is connected to u. lbell-- crunk .lever 19, the lui er "ring carried by a support 30. To the ipper arin oit' the lever is attached a rod 2l, the other end o" which is connected to the nrin of a valve 22 in the supply pipe. The valve controls the admis sion o lf mercury to tlic chest and its posi-- tion is determined by the float 18.

'.llic an'iount of liquid used in each generation' element is purposely small. to reduce the total cost of the n'iercury and also to reduce weight, and hence liquid must be '.t'ed to it cruitinuously since otherwise it would be driven out in. the form of vapor in a very short tiine and the parte subjected to de structive .heat through lack oit liquid. 'lfhe arrangement of the pipe l2, the pressure of which above that in the chest' as before stated, the. valve and float i8 provide 'for this and insure continuous delivery of liq'u id in suilicient quantities to all. the elements. is will lie understood all of the elei'nents are similarly provided with devices controliinu)` the feeding ort mercury thereto. y

li' through the failure of one or more of the Valrcs, for any' reason, onegenerating element*'should receive inncli more than its proper share oil. mercury a conduit :is provided for each element that opens into the cliest at about the normal level ol: the nicreury. Jlllie lower ends ol' the cfuiiduit.u are connected to a header :'26 located at a somewhat lower level. than the ating; Due to this arrangement one boiler can overll into the other laut the inercury which il. always stand in the header and @induits will/prevent the pas`l sage ciA vlipor troni one to 'the other. "in other ivorr s7 the coluinn of tl'ie mercury `in said conduits is of such length that as :t seal to prevent transiter of vapor one element to another, while peru; "tuniau ization ot the mercury levels in all of elements. f will he noted that all oil" tlie genera arenile oiiaerate in multiple liotli as the r votion of liquids und the elL rapor. which is desirable in a large installi.A tier, and that. means are provided for regu-A larly :feeding each element with an amount oit mercury proportioned to the vapor which it produces. Also that all of the elements receive mercury iroin a sourcel which is suliject to a` certain delinite gravity pressure und under the control. ot' lloat actuated valves, each of said floats being` located in a portion of the generating unit where the mercury is normal and ol" appreciable depth. i rise of mercury in onnc eleinent Will there fore temporarily decrease or interrupt the supply and a fall. increase it.

In accordance with the provisions of the patent statutes, l have described the principle oi.' operation ojt' niy invention, together 'with the apparatus which lf non' consider to represent the liest enihodiinent thereof; but l desire to have it understood tliattlie apparatus shoi'vn is only illustrative, and that the inyention can be carried out by other means.

What l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the llinited States, is :e-.

l. lil combination?" a generator for liquids having high boiling points comprising a plurality oil. vVapor generating elements, a main into which the elements discharge in. ,multipla a.` non return Valve between each element and the inain to prevent one element from acting' asa condenser for another, a. conduit feeding liquid under gravity to said elements, and means responsive to the level of the liquid in the elements for regulating; the admission of liquid thereto.

' ln comhination.l a generator for liquids having high boiling' points comprising a plurality of Vapor generating elements nach having a. header, a main connected with the headers into which the elements discharge in innltiple7 multiple under gravity head to said elenie-nits9 and means responsive to a condition of the liquid in said elements for regallutins;T the admission ot liquid thereto.

3. 'ln coinhinziition, a generator `for liquids having' high boiling pointscornprisingj a plurality of individual vapor generating elements, discharge conduits forpthe elenients, means feeding liquid-to the elements. and conduit means connected to the several elenienis at uhout the norinal level of die .liquid tliereiu and `connnunicating with a coininonv header, said conduit means containingr a suilicient heey oi@ `liquid 'to prevent the transfer of vapor 'from one element to anotlier. Y

e 'in 'wiailiination, a generator-'for liquids liari boiling" points comprising a pluim if of individual'vapor generating discharge conduits for the eleuis. conduit means feeding liquid to the ral elements under gravity head, a float controlled valve Iifor each element regulating lill@ conduit feeding liquid iny l@ ments, no

each Yayi);

@me @Een f Y mp1s, a non-.return Faim ad the mam, a mami' s A merfcury 130 be e'eemts um mercufy supi y main, and amount of mmawy no'vaua elements.

, .in mbnzsm, a generator fm' boiling: points comps ,.,p-:rsi ggnerzrngf @laments s of :3,01 s conneing one f iai; the discharge 11min, #15

f" cimduis? wo fow :t mama-d hazul's, which they com neet.

VH messes: 

